Bridging the Gap. Policies to Accelerate Social Change for an Inclusive Rural Digital Transformation in Sweden

Lindberg Johanna (), Runardotter Mari () and Ståhlbröst Anna ()
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Lindberg Johanna: PhD candidate, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Runardotter Mari: Associate Professor, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Ståhlbröst Anna: Professor, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden

European Countryside, 2024, vol. 16, issue 1, 26-42

Abstract: This study explores officials’ perspectives on Swedish policies for rural digital transformation (RDT). Through the lens of Social Acceleration and systems thinking, employing Critical Systems Heuristics collecting empirical data, we explore how officials perceive that Swedish digitalisation policies impacts inclusive RDT. We investigate whether the possibility to implement Swedish digitalisation policies support or hinder inclusive RDT. Our results emphasize the importance of Social Acceleration based on the aspirations of rural residents, encompassing technical acceleration, social change, and the pace of life. The rapid societal acceleration driven by digitalisation impacts the implementation of digital services in rural areas. Policies do not address the needs of tailored digital services; officials strive to manage this through creative methods despite inherent challenges.

Keywords: Inclusive Rural Digital Transformation; digitalisation of rural areas; Social Acceleration; digital policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vrs:eurcou:v:16:y:2024:i:1:p:26-42:n:3

DOI: 10.2478/euco-2024-0003

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